Rapid, radical opinion changes on gay marriage

A new national CBS News/New York Times survey has found a rise in support for same-sex marriage, in just a month.

The poll asked a question with three possible answers:

“What comes closest to your view, Gay couples should be allowed to legally marry, OR, Gay couples should be allowed to form civil unions but not marry, OR There should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship.

A total of 42 percent endorsed marriage, up from 33 percent in a CBS/NYT poll taken in mid-March.

Twenty-five percent, down from 27 percent, favored the recognition of civil unions of same-sex couples.

The support for no recognition was 28 percent of those surveyed, down from 35 percent.

A massive age gap – revealed in the November vote on Prop. 8 in California – registered in the latest CBS/NYT poll. Just 31 percent of those over 40 supported gay marriage, but 57 percent of those under 40 endorsed gay marriage. Thirty-five percent of those over 40 opted for no legal recognition, just 19 percent of those under 40.

Prop. 8, narrowly passed by California voters, reversed a state supreme court ruling that had legalized gay marriage. Exit polls found that 61 percent of seniors supported the marriage rollback, while 61 percent of voters under 30 opted for sustaining gay marriage.

The cause of same-sex marriage has made big strides in recent weeks.

The Iowa Supreme Court has legalized gay marriage in the Hawkeye State. The Vermont Legislature not only approved same-sex marriage, but overrode a gubernatorial veto.

The New Hampshire Legislature has just voted to legalize same-sex marriage.
In 2004, by contrast, 21 states passed initiative or referendum measures defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

The latest CBS/NYT poll was taken April 22-26. It has a margin of error of plus/minus 3 percent.